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Amid the ongoing protest against the alleged illegally constructed Sanjauli mosque, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh chaired an all-party meeting to take stock of the situation in the state.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting the Chief Minister said that all parties are in agreement that Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state and called for maintaining peace in the region. "All party representatives gave their opinions freely, and everyone believes that Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state, and no person belonging to any religion has any restrictions to work in the state. But whatever is being done, it should be done under lawful means. Also not to say any statements which incite or harm any religious sentiment," said the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister further read out a proposal which was agreed to during the all-party meeting. The CM read out the statement, "All of us discussed the ongoing issues. All of us are in agreement that Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state. We appeal to all to maintain peace in the region." The proposal also mentioned that the speaker of the Assembly should constitute a committee to look at a policy for the street vendors in the state. HP Congress Committee chief Pratibha Singh said that she was grateful for the all party meeting called by the CM, and also appealed to the CM to form a committee to regulate and give opportunities to people who come for setting up their businesses outside of the state. "I am grateful to the CM for calling an all-party meeting to know the sentiments of all the parties. All the parties gave their opinion in the meeting. The CM has said that we all have to look after the interests of the state... I have appealed to the HP Assembly Speaker to form a committee for regulating and giving opportunities to all the outsiders who come for small businesses in the state," the Congress leader said. Hindu organisations staged a protest over an alleged illegally constructed mosque in Mandi earlier today. As the crowd tried to bring down the line of barricades, police resorted to firing water cannons to disperse the crowd. Earlier in the day, the Himachal Pradesh Police tightened security and placed barricades in the Jail Road area in Mandi. According to Mandi Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma, the heightened security was done following information received by the police of a gathering called by some organisation. The police have also released the stone-pelting video of Wednesday's protest held in Sanjauli over the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in Shimla. Eight FIRs had been registered so far, and six policemen were injured in the protest, including a woman police officer who had vertebral fractures and is in a serious condition. (ANI)
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